The 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian) was a German mountain infantry division of the Waffen-SS during World War II. Raised in the Independent State of Croatia, it was given the title Handschar after a fighting knife carried by Turkish policemen when the region was part of the Ottoman Empire. From March to December 1944, it fought a counter-insurgency campaign against communist-led Yugoslav Partisan resistance forces. The first non-Germanic Waffen-SS division, it was composed of Bosnian Muslims with some Catholic Croat soldiers and mostly German and ethnic German officers and non-commissioned officers. It swore allegiance to Adolf Hitler and the Croatian leader Ante Pavelić. It established a designated "security zone" in north-eastern Bosnia but fought outside the zone on several occasions. It gained a reputation for brutality and savagery during combat operations and atrocities against Serb and Jewish civilians. After late 1944, non- German members began to desert in large numbers, particularly once they had retreated inside the Reich frontier. Others surrendered to British forces. Thirty-eight officers were extradited to Yugoslavia, and ten were executed.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/13th_Waffen_Mountain_Division_of_the_SS_Handschar_(1st_Croatian)

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1014:

Irish forces led by Brian Boru clashed with the Vikings in the Battle of Clontarf. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Clontarf

1661:

Charles II, King of England, Ireland, and Scotland was crowned at Westminster Abbey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_II_of_England

1954:

Batting against Vic Raschi of the St. Louis Cardinals, Hank Aaron of the Milwaukee Braves hit the first of his record-setting 755 home runs in Major League Baseball. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_Aaron

1968:

Students protesting the Vietnam War at Columbia University in New York City took over administration buildings and shut down the university. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University_protests_of_1968

1979:

Activist Blair Peach suffered fatal head injuries when he was knocked unconscious during an Anti-Nazi League demonstration in Southall, London, against a National Front election meeting in the town hall. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Blair_Peach

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

bardolator: (usually pejorative) One who loves or worships the works of William Shakespeare. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bardolator

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Know thus far forth: By accident most strange, bountiful Fortune — Now my dear lady — hath mine enemies Brought to this shore; and by my prescience I find my zenith doth depend upon A most auspicious star, whose influence If now I court not, but omit, my fortunes Will ever after droop.   --The Tempest https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Tempest